Device for cutting ships  cables



(No Model.)

. `11V.' DE BEM'.v DEVfIoE FDR GUT-T -IN-G samt CABLES.

Vltelflted Aug. 29,- 1893.

I Il

Immalsco 55% hw G/ttozmega/ UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCISCO VIEIRA DE BEM, OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR CUTTlNG SHIPS CABLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,203, dated August 29, 1893.

Application iled October 13, 1892- Serial No. 448,785. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Y Beit known that I, FRANCISCO VIEIRA DE BEM, a subject of the King of Portugal, residing at Gloucester, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Cutting Cables for Boats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a device for cutting a cable or rope beneath the water close to the anchor or at any required point, or for cutting cables and lines generally Where the same cannot be conveniently reached. lt is especially designed for use on ship board to cut the cable or anchor line in the case of an emergency so that said cable or line may be f quickly drawn aboard the ship and thus saved.

The improvement consists essentially of a cutting device which can be readily and quickly applied to the cable or anchor line, and which is adapted to travel upon the same freely in either direction, being controlled in its movements by an operating line.

The improvement further consists in combining with such cutting device a temporary holder for retaining the operatinglinein such relative positions that said cutting device may be moved on the cable or anchor line to the required position, and which will release said operating cord when the latter is jerked or pulled suddenly to bring the cutting appliance into proper position to sever the cable or anchor line upon a strong and steady pull being applied to the operating line.

The improvement also consists in vcombining with the cutting device pulleys to rfacilitate the travel of the saine upon the cable or anchor line.

The improvement also further consists in having the frame of the cutting device slotted to admit of the saine being readily applied to the cable or anchor line, and in providing a locking device to extend across the said slot and prevent said cable or anchor line from slipping therethrough.

A still further improvement consists in hav- 5o ing the cutting apparatus weighted so that lcomprising two side pieces a, of similar conunder normal condition the cutting appliance will be held out of contact or engagement with the cable or anchor line, and which when the operating line is pulled upon will cause the cutting device to assumel a position to bring the cutting appliance into efticient'service to sever the cable or anchor line.

The improvement also consists in the peculiar construction and combinationof the parts which will be hereinaftermore fully described and claimed and which are shown in the annexed drawings in which- Figure l is a detail view showing the application of the invention, the operating line being engaged by the temporary holder to admit of the cutting device being moved to the required point on the cable or anchor line. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the relative lposition of the cutting device when the operating line is released from the temporary 7o holder and drawn upon to sever the cable or anchor line. Fig. 3 is a side view of the cutting device on a larger scale, showing the lock for closing the slot in the side of the frame thrown open so as to disclose said slot. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the temporary holder.

The cutting device consists of a frame A struction placed in parallel position and suit- 8o ably connected together by cross pieces. One end of the frame is comparatively wide and receives the cutting appliance B and a guide pulley C. vThe remaining portion of the frame n is narrow, forming an arm which is Weighted at its outer end, as shown at e, and which weighted end has the operating line D attached thereto. A small guide pulley d is located at the inner end of the arm or narrow portion of the frame between which and the pulley C the cable or anchor line Gr is received. One of the side pieces of the frame is provided with a transverse slot g opposite the space between the pulleys C and d to admit of the cutting device being applied to the cable or anchor line to be severed. This slot is adapted to be closed by a locking device h which is pivoted at one end to said frame on one side of the slot and which is provided at its opposite end with a hook h to engage with roo a pin or stop Yh2 by means of -which said locking 'device is held in place after being-extended across said slot g. y

The cutting appliance B may be of any suitable construction devised for the required purpose to suit the nature of the cable oranchor line to be severed. In its simplest form of construction the cutting appliances, as shown, consists of a blade having a V knife formed in the cutting edge thereof. This form of blade is especially designed for severing cables which are formed from manila, hemp and similar substance, but `for .wire ropes and chains a cutting appliance will be provided to eifect the desired result. The term cutting appliance embodies within its scope any suitable cutter to sever the cable or anchor line whether the saine be composed of manila or similar substance, or Wire, or links.

The temporary holder I is designed simply to engage with the operating line D and hold the same in such relation to the cutting device that the latter may be moved to the required position on the cable or anchor line to be cut and which will release said line on the,

latter being suddenlypulledhereby permitting the cutting device to changeitsrelative position` so as tobring the cutting appliance' inproper position to sever the cable or anchorline on said operating line receiving a strong and steady pull. As shown, the holder consists of two spring jaws which are free at` one end to receive the operating line and which vare fastened at their opposite ends to;

the `frame of the cutting device.

ln the drawings the cable or anchor line tol be severed is represented by G. This `line may be a hawser or guy line.

To apply the cutting device to the line Gri the slot g in the side of the frame thereof is disclosed to receive said line. After the cutting device is in position on the line `G'the operating line D is engaged with the tempo-p` raryholderl, as shown in Fig. 1. Obviously,

by a proper manipulation of these operating;

lines the cutting device may be moved on the line G to the required position and on giving saidline D a smart pull it will become detached from the temporary holder and `the cutting device will assume the position shown in Fig. 2 which will bring the cutting appli-` ance in position against the line G to sever Q, the same on a strong and steady pull `being applied,totheoperatingline D. After the line G has been cut the cutting device and the line D may be drawn in and thus saved.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A cutting device for severing a cable or anchor line, consisting of a frame provided with a cutting appliance and weighted to normally hold the cutting appliance out of engagement with the said cable or anchor line, and an operating line `to control the movements of the device and bring into eficient service the cutting appliance, substantially as described.

2. A cutting dev-ice for severing a cable or anchor line, consistingof a frame provided with a cutting appliance and weighted to-normally hold the cutting appliance out of `an operative position, ya line for controlling the movements of the device,` and a hol-'der to retainthe line in such relative position as `to overcome the Weighted end of the saidframe under ordinary conditions, but which will re lease the saidline when the latter is suddenly pulled upon, substantially as described ,for the purpose specified. i

3. A cable cutting device, ,ctmprisinga frame having a cutting appliance, and having a slot in one Aside to receive the cable, and a locking device to close the said slot and retain the cable in place in the said frame, substantially as setforth.

4. A cable cutting device consisting of, a frame having ay slotin-one side to receivetlie ,cable and provided with a cutting appliance ,and'weighted to hold the cutting appliance out `of operative position, alocking deviceto `close the slot inthe frame, guide'pulleys on each side of the said slot, a temporaryholder,

.and an operating line to control the move 4ments ofthe device and held by the-saidtemporary holder to `overcome the weighted end lof `the frame under normal conditions, -subistantially as specified, and adapted `to bring ythe cutting appliance into active `position -when suddenlypulled upon to sever'the cable, substantially in the manner h-erein-setfort-h.

In testimony whereof 'I aiiix my signaturein lpresence of two witnesses.

`FRANCISCO VIEIRA DE ABEM. Witnesses:

`FRANK F. MARTIN, Y BEV. FRANCISCO S. `DE BEM. 

